


Slight of Hand

by theskywasblue



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Childhood, Gen, Magic, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-20
Updated: 2010-06-20
Packaged: 2017-10-10 05:06:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/95852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theskywasblue/pseuds/theskywasblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jien shows Gojyo a magic trick.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Slight of Hand

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt: "Magic". Time taken to write: 37 minutes.

"Lemme see."

Gojyo held up the coin for his brother's inspection between his thumb and forefinger, displaying the long score mark down one side. He had found it while walking home; just lying in the gutter, discarded; like someone had thought it was no good because it wasn't the same.

Jien held out a hand, "No, I mean lemme _see_ it."

Gojyo pulled the coin back, close to his chest, protectively, "You _see_ with your eyes dummy, not your hands."

"Don't be a smartass," Jien retorted, "I wanna have a good look at it."

Gojyo hesitated, reluctant to part with his treasure, but finally relented, dropping the coin into his brother's palm. Immediately, Jien clenched his fist shut and swung his hands behind his back, letting out a bark of laughter at Gojyo's startled yelp. He offered two closed fists for Gojyo's inspection.  
"Guess which hand it's in."

Gojyo snarled through his teeth, brow knit into a furious scowl, "Asshole. Give it back, it's mine."

Jien clucked his tongue, "Watch your mouth shorty – and don't be a sore loser. Just guess."

Gojyo huffed, crossing his arms furiously over his chest, "You think I'm stupid?"

"Just a little," Jien teased, "are you going to guess or what?"

"That one."

Jien held the hand up, empty, grinning, "Too bad."

"The other one then!" Gojyo stomped his foot in the dirt body practically humming with irritation. Obediently, Jien opened the other hand, but it too was empty. "Jien!"

His brother laughed, reached out despite Gojyo's resistance, and clapped a hand on the side of his brother's neck, giving him a gentle, affectionate shake, "Jeez, don't look at me like that alright? It's right here."

He drew his hand back, and the coin – the exact same coin with the score mark down one side, was between his fingers.

"How did you do that?" Gojyo demanded, making a grab for the coin as Jien rolled it back and forth between his knuckles. Jien flipped the coin into the air and Gojyo watched it spin skyward, catching the fierce sunlight in a blinding flash before Jien's hand swiped it out of the air, and he showed Gojyo empty palms one last time, grinning widely.

"Don't ask me kiddo – it's magic."

* * *

At some point, standing across from his brother on the battlefield had become normal, because once it was all over, and Gojyo could look at Dokugakuji without wondering _'will this be the day he expects me to really try and hurt him?' _he felt like the whole world had gone off center.  
In a good way, really. But still, it was something he was going to have to get used to, if he had the chance.

"Don't be a stranger, okay?"

"Yeah," Gojyo grinned, feeling stupid and awkward, a little like he already was, because they hadn't had a proper chance to talk or sort anything out, "I'll come by every weekend for beer and burgers."

"You do that," he was serious, Gojyo recognized the glint in his blue eyes, and damned if it wasn't comforting.

Goku called his name from the jeep, only to be shushed quickly by Hakkai; still it was as good an excuse as any for Gojyo to make his escape, before he could say anything stupid – stupider – anything at all really.

Suddenly Dokugakuji stepped forward, put a hand on the side of Gojyo's neck, calloused and warm and incredibly familiar, "See ya around kiddo."

He drew his hand back, lifted Gojyo's hand up, and dropped something into his open palm – a coin, with a deep score mark in the polished copper surface. It felt warm against Gojyo's skin, as if it had been pressed into his brother's hand for years.

"Jien…how did you…"

"It's magic," his bother grinned, holding up empty hands.

-End-


End file.
